New rotors not rotoring
11-03-2008, 04:11 PM
#41
Senior Member
Join Date: 12-30-2006
Location: Lake Conroe, Texas
Posts: 1,141
I have written this up several times, but here goes again briefly. It's NOT the rotors warping. The design of the brake pad retainers allows the pad to "float" slightly. Driving the HHR on the expressway causes the pad to oscillate and create a series of small "dings" in the surface of the rotor. The ceramic pads being very hard in nature exacerbates the problem and when the brakes are applied they shudder. I installed cheap pads from AutoZone and I have no more braking issues. With ceramic pads it was repaired three times and recurred about every 3,500 miles. I have at least 12,000 miles on the organic pads with no shudder. Guys, it is NOT your rotors. It's the factory or aftermarket HARD PADS. Go to a pad with a softer compound and say good bye to brake shudder.
11-03-2008, 04:22 PM
#42
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 12-18-2005
Location: Middle Village, NY
Posts: 1,791
Then I really made things worse with the competition red pads. So you think the rotors are not ruined-that is good news. Any organic pads will do? What about that horrible brake dust that is so good at destroying nice looking wheels?
11-03-2008, 05:26 PM
#44
Banned
Join Date: 10-24-2006
Location: The Show-Me State
Posts: 1,761
In the end, I never bought into the whole thing about EBC discs being made out of pure unobtainium from the forge of Zeus. Buy a set of NAPAs, check for run-out, machine 'em once if they're out of true BEFORE you drive on them, problem solved.
11-03-2008, 06:28 PM
#45
Member
Join Date: 09-11-2007
Location: Alabama
Posts: 43
EBC offers a few compounds. I went with AutoZone to get it done as inexpensively as I could in case my theory about the pads was not correct. I cleaned the hubs with a wire brush in my drill and treated them with Amsoil Metal Protector. I did not check runout. I was considering it, but decided not to invest in a dial indicator. If you pulled off the rotor and changed how it is indexed on the hub you could actually make the runout better or worse. I kept my factory parts and they look as good as what I installed. I do have brake dust which will wash off. I had some brake dust before and shuddering brakes. The shudder will not wash off. There is a need to take off the rust on the hubs and possibly on the backs of the wheels, but I doubt seriously if either will have an effect on braking. I torqued my wheels to 100 lbs/ft when I reinstalled them. The bottom line is three brake problems in 10,000 miles and now 12,000 with no problems. I doubt very seriously if AutoZone Duralast rotors that are supposedly made in China are superior to the GM ones. The AutoZone pads are a lifetime guarantee so who cares if they wear out? I can replace them with FREE ones pretty quickly and have good brakes all the while. The factory brakes are not Wildwood or Brembo anyway and I don't think anyone could say I diminished the stopping power by not using ceramic pads. Each owner needs to do what he feels best to do. I am happy with my choice.
11-04-2008, 12:59 AM
#46
Senior Member
Join Date: 01-13-2008
Location: Washington State, where it rains
Posts: 4,708
When I was working parts for O'Reilly Auto Parts we ran into this siuation with Wagner rotors. They had 2 brands..The $60 a piece and the $27 per side rotors..turns out the economy brand was made in China and the metals they were using was not up to par with the heat generated by the brakes.Thus they all warped..Its possible , even with Gm that they have a bad batch..but that could only be proven with geting all the owners together with the same build dates in a range of time that had the same problem. If it were me I'd be checking the runout of the hubs also as this wil definitly take the rotors out over time.A sticky caliper piston could also cause this..but that would show up in uneven pad wear.HHRBama may have cured his by using the softer pads which are more forgiving(pads wear instead of the rotor while "floating"),could be just a mismatch in parts, who knows.Try Bama's route and set up a inexpensive front kit.If it happens again..look elsewhere.In the meantime have your rotors checked every which way possible for any signs of runout warpage etc etc.This is interesting. I believe you said you bought your bHHR used..whats to say the previous owner didnt curb it??Maybe your brakes are only the recipient of the cause....ya'll keep everybody posted on this as I'm sure its going to surface again....
11-04-2008, 09:03 AM
#47
New Member
Join Date: 04-01-2008
Location: Burton, MI
Posts: 16
My 2007 started shaking at 7K miles. It has 12K on it now and I was just about to jump into a new set of EBC rotors. My wifes 2008 has 12+K miles,,,no brake shake at all. I have a dial indicator and will check the runout on my front hubs and rotors. I will have the rotors turned and install a semi metallic set of pads. I'll keep you posted.
11-04-2008, 10:38 AM
#48
Member
Join Date: 09-11-2007
Location: Alabama
Posts: 43
BDUB,
Do you drive more on the expressway than your wife? The problem with the pads seems to worsen as you drive the vehicle rather than by using the brakes. The oscillation has more time to put check marks on the rotor surface while driving at expressway speeds. I have a long commute and this is why mine kept recurring.
Do you drive more on the expressway than your wife? The problem with the pads seems to worsen as you drive the vehicle rather than by using the brakes. The oscillation has more time to put check marks on the rotor surface while driving at expressway speeds. I have a long commute and this is why mine kept recurring.